NBBF laments effects of distractions on basketball development

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President, Ahmadu Musa Kida has revealed that the factional crisis dogging the federation has affected its developmental efforts since it came into office.

Speaking at the NBBF Atlantic Conference’s stakeholders meeting at the indoor sports hall of the National Stadium, Lagos on Wednesday, Kida said his board would have achieved greater heights after 10 months in office if it had everything needed to run the NBBF.

Kida disclosed that his major objective was to ensure Nigerian basketball players became stars and also ensure that the game was played in all parts of the country, and called on all the stakeholders and warring parties to join his board to change the face of basketball in the country.

“It is quit painful that the present board has not achieved the much expected since 10 months in office based on the election issues. But I am happy that the board has been able to achieve to a reasonable extent what was not obtainable before.

“After D’Tigress’ victory at the Afrobasketball Women Championship in Mali, 2017, the board went on to make a remarkable impression. We organised a successful FIBA Zone 3 Champions Cup qualifier in October 2017 in Lagos, which is the first time in nearly a decade in Nigerian basketball.

“The NBBF will host the second stanza of the FIBA 2019 Africa men’s World Cup qualifiers Group B games in Lagos from June 25 to July 2. This will give Nigerians the chance to watch the national team, D’Tigers for the first time after 15 years,” he said.

On the Kwese Premier League being organised by the Tijani Umar faction of the federation, Kida said any league not recognised by NBBF is Illegal

“The NBBF supports anybody or organisation that wants to develop basketball in Nigeria, but it has to go through the right channel to achieve that. Based on the letter sent by FIBA, I still remain the president of NBBF. If you go to the FIBA website my name and other members of my board is there. Any league that is organised outside the board is not recognised by FIBA.

“Kwese has denied sponsoring any league and the NBBF would only recognise clubs that emerged from its own league. After the second stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Friday, the date for the women and men leagues would be announced. I plead with basketball players to still have faith on the board,” he said.